“In their own words…”

Lolly Lewis

“I have been a Metric Halo user since 2003. I originally was attracted to their Mobile I/O 2882 for its portability and for the MIO Console, a software recording utility perfectly suited to my needs in location recording: I do live acoustic music recording, mostly classical, and I simply want to capture the audio tracks as cleanly as possible.

I usually work in 2-channel, but in recent years I have had more and more requests for multichannel recording with subsequent (not to mention simultaneous) mixing required. This has been possible with the MIO Console, but in a relatively two-dimensional way. I started out as a monitor mixer, so the MIO's matrix routing system made sense to me, but it wasn't particularly intuitive at first use and it required a lot of navigation from one window to another to set things up the way I wanted them and to control the mixer. And if I wanted to add any effects processing, that was another separate process (and set of windows) to manage. It was a bit of a struggle to create an independent cue mix, and to play back takes I had to have a yet another separate mixer setup.

With the new 2d Card and the v.5 Mixer it's like the MIO Console's gone from black and white to Technicolor. First of all, the routing is simple because — just like in a hardware console — all the functionality of the mixer is incorporated into the channels themselves. Input assignments, trims, EQ, effects, pans, output assignments: all in one place. Sends and sub-mixes pop up as floating auxiliary mixers. And the console is completely customizable – from the numbers of inputs and outputs down to the colors of the strips themselves.

Another real innovation is how the Console links up with the Monitor Controller. It's so easy to route any of my various mix outputs to the monitor selector, and configure all the available outputs: when I'm recording on location I have to switch frequently between sources and between speakers and headphones and now it happens seamlessly with one click, right in the software.

And all of this without losing a bit of Metric Halo's beautiful audio quality. I'm stoked!”

Barry Diament

“I’ve been using MIOs for several years now, because the hardware and software have provided not only the cleanest sound I could find but elegance in the execution and  simplicity in use.

MIO Console v.5 takes it to a whole ‘nother level.  If you can imagine a recording, mixing or processing setup, you can achieve it in minutes.  And on top of that, you don’t have to trade sound quality to get the convenience.  You get both, big time.

The plug-ins provide everything I need in the mastering room.  Character lets you add color as desired and for those jobs where only a pristine path will do, I’ll take v.5 over any other option on the market.  In combination with my MIO, the v.5 Console’s Record Panel is my favorite way to capture audio.

The Mixer, the Monitor Controller, the DSP, the Record Panel, oh my.  The folks at Metric Halo have achievements they can be quite proud of.”

Marc Schonbrun

“When the 2882 was introduced over eight years ago, Metric Halo had plans for its future. Well before it was fashionable to go Green, MH had built-in expandability without asking you to buy a whole new interface. The original 2882 is still ahead of its time. Now you pop in the 2d Board and you get the best sounding, most powerful, most flexible Firewire audio product ever shipped. The new console is absolutely amazing and Character is worth the price of admission alone. It's not an upgrade, it's a rebirth.”

Don Gunn

“v.5 of the MIO Console and the 2d Card have taken my ability to route and process audio to new heights. Character in particular has brought new life to the already exemplary MH preamps by giving them the personalities of my favorite boutique and vintage pres.”

Floris van Manen

“v.5 is the key to unlock the quantum leap of audio processing power that the 2nd Card provides. These are the rock stable tools you want for ‘sound’ sound…”

John McCaig

“-v.5 and the 2d Card turned my metric halo interface into dedicated mastering console with hardware and software inserts! -v.5 and the 2d Card easily replaces a monitoring console, and a dedicated hardware router, with a built in AD/DA. -i am able to do things with v.5 and the 2d Card, all in one location now, my DAW has been relegated to just playback and recording. -v.5 with a 2d Card makes my needs and wants for any other hardware or software DSP solution disappear. -Being able to use my own custom-built DSP environments, as an insert or send, anywhere in my signal chain, is beyond ridiculous. ”

Andrew Levine

“I have been using MIO Systems – first the 2882+DSP, then a ULN-2, SpectraFoo, ChannelStrip, and on and on - since I started working as a freelance sound recordist five years ago, specializing from the beginning in the tracking of live events in real spaces. It has been a pleasure, both sonically and technically, regarding my peace of mind, and with regards to Metric Halo’s support and the assistance of the very knowledgeable user-group.

With v.4 hard- and software already rocks, or grooves, or simply allows me to capture music in the best possible way. Then along came 2d, and my life has been improved even more!

Currently I am tracking five hours of excellent music a day at an international musical competition in Amsterdam, supplying the jury and organizers with premixes of the performances of the 24 groups shortly after each set has ended. While tracking the widely varying ensembles, with a fixed soundcheck of 10 minutes max, I am able to tweak paramers on the fly for a high quality realtime mix.

Did I mention the possibilty of dialing in Character on demand and having a return on a reverb feed to sweeten the premix for some groups?

Using SpectraFoo on the FW Return of the sum allows me to check the quality and balance of the mix while the show is going on and helps me refine my judgement when working in the performance space with headphones. A separate mix goes to the analog outs for television crews passing by, who very much enjoy the convenience. This is as good as it gets, at least until MH comes up with another surprise :-)

It's not easy to find the words. 2d has changed my way of working with MIO Console, making it much more flexible and efficient, but it is such a fundamental change that you just dig it and then can't really remember how you did the kinds of things before, if you did so.

One of the moments I noticed that especially was when I quickly reconfigured the 2d mixer to create a realtime bounce of a concert I had tracked with the RP, forgetting my usual workflow of dragging the channels into a DAW, instead adding parallel compression, some reverb etc. and printing the mix - with the RP. Another is that when I got my new 5.1 monitoring setup I quickly patched a 2.0->2.1 config with the extracted LF on the subwoofer, a 5.1->2.0 downmix for cans, a 2.0->4.0 upmix with some reverb on the rear channels etc. It's _very_ flexible and a lot of fun.”

Tibor Páli

“As someone whose hobby (or rather, second life) is experimental music, sound, acoustics and audio engineering, I am interested in finding the best acoustic environment for any given [audio] project, capture the magic and expose it on the final material.

The Metric Halo hardware combined with clean and transparent microphones has always been an excellent choice for this approach, but the new MIO platform with the 2d-based mixer architecture has matured even further - into a complete production environment. It is a recording device, monitoring, sound reinforcement and production mixer, audio interface and processor, signal converter and router, monitor controller, and, and… The new mixer for instance offers nice reverb and coloration options should the artistic expression require these.

David Wilcock

“When I first had the resources to purchase serious recording gear, I did an unbelievable amount of research, knowing that it might be my last chance to do so, and I’d have to live with my decision. 5 years later, without doubt, my decision to purchase my Metric Halo MIOs was the best equipment purchasing decision I've ever made.

The sound and quality of my original Mobile I/Os still matches or surpasses that of equipment many times more expensive that is being released today, and their routing flexibility is unparalleled.

The addition of 2d and the v.5 software is just one more example in a long line of them, from a company who continues to add value to its existing product lines and user base. This is in stark contrast to the usual industry practice of letting those things languish and die to push out more new product that isn’t necessarily an improvement. It’s safe to say that the new 2d technology and v.5 software make me the fastest car on the block, and I thought I already was.”

John Leonard

“The best just got a whole lot better.

With a bewildering selection of FireWire interfaces now on the market, my original investment in Metric Halo hardware and software has paid off big-time: eight years after my original purchase of my first 2882+DSP, MH has delivered a combined software and hardware upgrade that redefines the genre. The v.5 software is a revelation, with full multi-track recording and mixing facilities, plug-ins, complex routing possibilities and a fully configurable monitor controller, whilst the 2d expansion Card adds an extra helping of DSP capability. Unlike most other hardware that loses its value over time, my Metric Halo boxes are worth more to me now than when I first bought them.

Some of the best things improve with age and this is certainly true of my Metric Halo interfaces. From the very first set of surround recordings that I made eight years ago in the middle of a field using an entirely battery-powered system as a light plane hedge-hopped for my benefit, to a recent recording of a new chamber-music group that has won plaudits from all who’ve heard it, I’ve used one of my four Metric Halo interfaces for all my recording needs. The superb audio quality of the interface and the constantly updated software has meant that I’ve always been ahead of the game. Now, with the v.5 software and the retrofit hardware upgrade, I’ve effectively gained a whole new unit. With a whole raft of plug-ins and an immensely flexible mixer, I have all I need both for my theatre sound design work and my effects recordings in one small, but immensely powerful package. I can save whole system set-ups and recall them complete with all plug-ins and routing, not only for stand-alone use but also from within my DAW using ConsoleConnect, for when I’m working on complex surround mixes.

Some of my less-enlightened colleagues have had to upgrade their hardware two or three times in order to keep up with new releases from other manufacturers, often seeing the resale value of their old systems drop through the floor. I’ve never needed to play that game and I can’t emphasise enough how happy that makes me.

I now rely exclusively on my Metric Halo interfaces for all aspects of my recording and mixing needs. When I'm recording sound effects in surround on location, I have a beautifully transparent set of pre-amps and a superb multi-track recorder and with the new v.5 software and 2d Card upgrade, I can produce stunning-sounding mixes wherever my work takes me.

What’s astounding is that the functionality of the Metric Halo boxes has increased over the years that I’ve owned them: other manufacturers have constantly brought out new versions of their interfaces and the resale value of the old ones plummets. Metric Halo has constantly upgraded system performance via free software upgrades and now, with a reasonably-priced hardware add-on, arguably presents long-term users with a whole new interface. I can’t think of many other manufacturers who treat their customers so well.”

Mark Cahill

“I have been privileged to have had access to a substantial selection of the finest digital audio hardware and software which has come on the market over the past  years, both in terms of native as well as DSP products.

I have to say that v.5 is a completely different, even daunting, experience compared to anything I have used to date. While it takes some time to get to grasp its many features and understand the enormous flexibility it offers the user, and I certainly won't pretend to have covered everything, the amount of thought, consultation and  feedback from real-world professionals, ingenuity and sheer pride and love of one’s work which have gone into this becomes quickly apparent once the basics are grasped.

v.5 has raised the standard and “what is possible” by a very considerable amount. It is quite clear that Metric Halo have received, listened to and acted on advice from very competent, experienced audio professionals, and as such set an exemplary precedent other companies would do well to heed. It is going to be very hard for others to even begin to try to catch up, and I wonder what further surprises Metric Halo already has in the pipeline. 

My favourite features? Well, the one that jumps out has to be the astonishing sonic choices available through the Character settings. Honestly, most other software companies would launch substantial marketing campaigns around this single feature, it would more than fullfill the needs of many companies to show as a major new product in itself  and cause software engineers to deservedly sit back and savour a job well done, and, most significantly, would most certainly come with  a very substantial price tag.

However, this is just  one single new function amongst many, many others which are included in v.5. The choice of using either or both pre and post direct outs on each channel is so utterly useful and practical, and raises the question “why has nobody thought of this up until now?” The sheer simplicity of integrating the superb DSP tools in v.5 into other DAWs makes them as convenient as native AUs, but you may find yourself  relying less and less on your DAWs mixer, once you start understanding just what v.5 is actually capable of. The addition of the very fine sounding Reverbs  rounds off the collection of latency free DSP Plug-ins and makes Metric Halo a serious contender for providing reliable, latency-free, high quality  studio monitoring, which is perhaps the last great challenge to be overcome in the non Pro Tools DAW world, as well as a complete live mixing environment, and of course, excellent mixing reverbs. Just as  with the Character algorithms, the reverbs are a complete product in themselves, and could also command a high price.

I have to mention the very innovative  sub mixers available for send mixes - I have never used a more comfortable, cleverly designed tool to set up cue and effect mixes. This is as good an example of how well designed native software can take us way beyond what the restrictions of even the largest studio consoles could ever be capable of.

One of my favourite improvements over v.4 (software I loved and used very frequently) is the intuitive, self explanatory, and very pleasant looking UI. I love the ability to color code channels either singly or in groups, Metric halo have very wisely left it to the user to choose exactly the colour he/she feels appropriate by incorporating colour wheels and sliders in RGB, CMYK and HSB,  as well as which, performing functions such as re-arranging the order of channels shows the UI to be extremely fast and ‘snappy’…

The overall impression of v.5 is absolutely stunning, and surely must be a candidate for the most innovative, user-oriented and useful software not only in this year but for some years to come. Given the superb reputation the Metric Halo developers hold in the industry and in particular amongst their peers, this isn’t necessarily surprising, but I expect it will leave quite a few of those peers wide eyed and open mouthed when it they see it.”

Allen Rowand

“I’ve used my MIO and SpectraFoo for years to do room tuning. With the introduction of 2d and v5, my workflow has been taken to another level. I have a v5 file that sets my rig up for using seven mics for analysis, with a console input for reference. The mics are run through the onboard dsp for calibration to keep the mic pres are at the same gain for consistent characteristics. I can view SPL at seven points in the venue simultaneously, view the frequency response of the room at any point or all points, and instantly see the transfer function of any speaker system at any microphone with a single keystroke. All with my MacBook Pro, a 2882 2d Expanded, a case with my mics and a calibrator- and at less than 1/10th the cost of the “industry standard” analyzer.

We recently played a venue that had a distinct room resonance; once ’Foo helped me pinpoint the frequency, I was able to apply a bandpass filter to the microphone’s signal in DSP to isolate it and immediately record it using the Record Panel. After the rehearsal, I played the recording for the mix engineer so that we could identify that this was the sound he was hearing and discuss how to deal with it. There is nothing else I can think of that would let me do this as quickly and easily as ’Foo and v5.

Room analysis is only a part of the picture for me. I’ve used my Metric Halo rig to diagnose equipment issues, make sure that replacement gear was gain and EQ matched to the piece it was replacing, and done quick multitrack recordings so that we can play the show back through the system to walk the room and listen. Version 5 gives me a routing paradigm that I can use in every part of my work. I don’t get slowed down thinking about how to do the job- with v5 and 2d I can just DO the job.

I’ve been through who-knows-how-many analyzers, measurement systems, and best-things-since-sliced-bread. But at the end of the day, there is one set of tools that will always have a place in my kit - SpectraFoo and a MIO with 2d. I stake my job on it every time I tune the system, and its never let me down. When there’s a few thousand people in the seats every night and producers listening to their $1,000,000 a week production, it’s nice to know that Metric Halo has me covered!”

Ralf Kleeman

“I’m using my 2d enhanced ULN-2 every day in almost all situations - live recordings,  studio sessions, FoH applications, even sound analysis. It’s also extremely handy for a variety of format conversions. The best sounding Swiss army knife I’ve ever known.

The ‘Swiss army knife’ is a popular comparison. However, it is not entirely appropriate for Metric Halo’s audio interfaces — Instead of going blunt over time or losing functionality, the MIOs actually grow more features and become more useful from year to year.

The 2d upgrade surprised me in both hardware and software features. I honestly don’t know of any other manufacturer out there who takes an already great design and makes an upgrade card for it, adding I/O ports, improving the clocking and raising the processing power by several hundred percent.

The new software that surrounds the 2d card is also a huge step in usability, it all feels very natural, and it's not in my way at any time.

As a small scale mobile studio, the MIOs have always been a god-send for versatility, mobility, and for being there when I need them. Now they even save me the trouble of buying and carrying a whole variety of outboard boxes — most of that is build right into the core, and all with a sound that continuously puts big smiles on my clients’ faces.”

Tony Vincent

“I made the jump from a mass-produced audio interfaces to a Metric Halo unit 8 years ago and have never looked back.  The fidelity of the MIO boxes is truly brilliant.  Things that were masked on my prior interfaces/boxes are now clear and defined.

Whenever I’m working with A-list producers and bring them tracks that I’ve worked on with my MIO interfaces from my home studio, they are always blown away on how amazing the stuff sounds. The ULN-2s mic pres are unmatched in ANY dedicated audio interface — the clarity is absolutely pristine!

With the new v.5 software and 2d cards, the possibilities are wide open!  My favorite addition with the 2d Cards is the Character modeling.  I can get all sorts of clarity or colouration when tracking without ANY outboard gear — and it sounds unbelievable!  Whether I’m looking for a warm, vintage, tube-sounding mic pre or the clarity that solid-state pres give, my tracks have never sounded better — and I am continually blown away that this is all inside a one 1U box! Brilliant!”

Charlie Pilzer

“I have the MIO wired into my rack and I use it every single day. The Metric Halo v.5 software/hardware is like having an analog console in a 1-U box. The combination of hardware and software is unmatched in it's routing flexibility. With processing available on every track, I can mix anywhere!”

Brian Monroney

“The 2d hardware combined with v.5 software and +DSP Plug-ins is a stunning upgrade for my beloved Mobile I/Os. Metric Halo continues to exceed all standards of customer service and support by vastly increasing the power and value of my MIO hardware investment.

There numerous new features that I'm excited about:

• The new Character analog hardware emulation Plug-in on each mixer strip is totally addictive. Pure audio crack.
• The v.5 MIO mixer is immensely powerful and flexible for routing audio, and with the enhanced integration of the Record Panel it makes almost any tracking/monitoring configuration easy to achieve.
• The addition of ADAT I/O to my ULN-2 has already proven handy for interfacing with my Muse Receptor. Just try to imagine any other gear manufacturer adding 8 channels of I/O to a half-decade old product...
• The Monitor Controller completely negates the need for my existing ‘large knob’ monitor controller (and removes its inferior signal path from between my MIO and speakers).
• Did I mention HaloVerb? Or the amp simulations?

I have now switched almost entirely to summing my DP 5 projects in the MIO’s DSP mixer (it just sounds so damn good, combined with the great MIO EQ and dynamics Plug-ins). If you’re an existing MIO owner and on the fence about upgrading, don't think, just pull out the plastic and do it - there is something here for everyone, whether you use it for live performance, studio recording/production, mastering, theater sound, whatever... There are features here you don’t even know you need - but you soon won’t know how you lived without them!”

John Curley

“My MIO 2882+DSP is the only piece of digital hardware I have ever owned that is more useful today than it was when I bought it.”

Rico Sergeant

“To own a Metric Halo unit has always been a joy, but with the 2d Card v.5 upgrade it’s like a whole new world — I can setup my system and routing in any way I want and the possibilities are only limited by imagination. I almost fell of my seat when I first saw v.5, I sat there thinking, ‘This is it; this is what I have been dreaming of, it’s wonderful.’

There was a moment when I was tracking some guitar, I switched on some Character Plug-ins on the input and I couldn’t believe what I was  hearing — it’s gorgeous.

If I want to add some reverb, no problem, I need some  eq or compression or both, no problem, I need monitor control, no problem, I need separate headphone mix, easily done, then I need to record the whole show right there in the console, piece of cake, and all this is done  in a elegant and logical way, and the quality is without compromise, just as is usual for Metric Halo, its all there  and more… This is a huge update one that lifts units that may be several years old to a level that nothing else out there can touch.

Once the 2d Card is installed into a unit — even one that may be several years old — it becomes effectively a new unit. I think to give us all the opportunity to upgrade our units in this way is an amazingly generous move by Metric Halo, and shows just how classy a company they are, the value, the service, the technology is way above the rest, there is no other company that gives me the sense of security and reliability that Metric Halo does.

If there was ever a company that inspired confidence it’s Metric Halo — but to offer all their customers the  opportunity to install the new 2d Card into their current machines running the new wonderful v.5 software, is absolutely inspiring, it brings the capabilities of a unit that may be several years old  head and shoulders above the competition, and all for a very small cost. Truly no other company offers  this kind of service, no other company offers this kind of technology. They are high class through and through.

This new 2d Card and V5 update is so feature packed it makes the mind boggle, the possibilities are  endless, the routing possibilities alone are stunning, the Character Plug-ins are so cool they have made me stop using some of my outboard gear altogether; yes they are that good. The new console is so elegant it’s a joy to use and the new reverbs are surprisingly special, I just cannot imagine why anyone would want to use anything else, this does it all and then some, and all this with the world renowned reliability that Metric Halo brings. This isn’t just an update — this is a whole new world.

Man, did I get it right when I started using Metric Halo products several years ago. Now I get to install this new 2d Card into my old units at a tiny cost and I have a unit that blows the rest away. It’s stunning,  thank you so much, I am totally amazed by the new capabilities this brings, it’s so flexible it makes my  head spin just thinking about all the possibilities, but even with all this depth its so easy to just start working  with it, the templates are really fantastic — Metric Halo you have done it again; You have set the new standard — there is nothing that even comes close.”

Hiroaki Honshuku

“The best thing, for me, about MIO Console v.5 with my 2d Expanded ULN-2 is the superior sounding HaloVerb for my flute and EWI performance. Before v.5, I had to send input signal to Plogue Bidule for reverb processing, but of course that increased the latency. Now with v.5 I am latency free with my performance reverb!

The new v.5 Mixer window offers very flexible routing with ease of use. I can add send/return to +DSP very quickly, and the new Send window gives full feedback and control over dry/wet signal. This is like a dream come true.

An added bonus is I can record my performance by just clicking on the rec button on the Mix Channel Strip, which is directly connected to my beloved Record Panel!”

Steve Hilmy

“When I received my MIO 2882+DSP seven years ago it soon became my most used, most useful piece of gear. Since upgrading to 2d it has become even more useful to me. I know of no other box that has increased in it's intrinsic value over 7 years!

For my yearly student concert (experimental electronics) I use one 2882 and one ULN2 with a laptop. Together these allow for live playback, sound reinforcement and processing, headphone cues for the performers, and recording. The flexibility and power of the 2d upgrade has made the production of these concerts much easier as I can now off-load processing to the 2d DSP. This increases stability on my rig, significantly lengthens the life of my laptop as it works much, much less now, and allows for latency-free headphone cues and monitoring with reverb.

My most prized piece of equipment for live performance is my ULN2+DSP 2d. With this box I playback and process my sound from Live (multiple VIs, loops, sound score files using a small MIDI keyboard and a hand percussion controller,) I reinforce and process the acoustic instruments in my ensemble (sax, piano, voice), mix them all together and EQ the output to suit the venue acoustics, and record a total of 18 tracks for each performance. At the end of every gig I remain absolutely astonished at how much this box can do simultaneously, and at how great it sounds!

If my laptop, or external synth module, or FX box, or keyboard controller broke or was stolen I would replace them with the latest equivalent with better features or upgraded sound or a faster processor. If my MIO suffered the same fate I would immediately get a new one, exactly the same model at full list price if necessary. There is no equivalent, and nothing out there that can do even a fraction of what my MIO does, and does elegantly.”

Travis Gregg

Scott Metcalfe

“Switching my remote recording system over to multiple Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882s several years ago was one of the best business decisions I have ever made.

The bulk of my work involves recording orchestra, live opera and classical chamber music for CD release, as well as local and national NPR broadcasts.  The quality of the hardware has always been first rate.  

With the release of the v.5 console I am now able to achieve sophisticated routing and signal processing, all at the highest quality, on a rig small enough to fit into a computer bag and a small road-case. The flexibility and control is really second to none.  Along with the remote classical work I also do number of production projects in Logic Pro and Pro Tools, and the ConsoleConnect feature has been such a tremendous asset, enabling the use of Metric Halo’s fabulous sounding plug-ins within a host DAW.”

Christopher Jones

“A remarkable update with simplicity and superior sonic quality at its core, v.5 dramatically enhances the utility of the Mobile I/O.  

The powerful capabilities of v.5 allow me to streamline my mobile recording platform.  Character emulation adds a full microphone cabinet to features already contained in an easily transportable 1U package.  v.5 transforms the Mobile I/O into a complete and integrated toolkit every engineer will appreciate.”

Michael Romanowski

“I believe Metric Halo hardware is an incredible value. With the 2d Card  and the new v.5 Console, it has becomes an essential tool for me for a variety of tasks.

For location or studio recording, it allows me to easily dial in the best sound to be captured while giving perfect multiple headphone mixes to the artists.

As a live recorder, I can capture directly from the stage and send absolutely clean, great sound to Front of House and Monitors all while recording for latter production.

In a mixing environment, I have found no better mixer than the new v.5 Console to take my DAW outputs to new levels of clarity and life. With the Character processing added to the extremely flexible routing and the new macro inserts, mixes have now moved way beyond the sonic possibilities of the standard DAWs output. The v.5 mixer bus summing far exceeds that of any DAW available.

In the Mastering environment, the new v.5 Console and Mixer allows new levels of flexibility and sonic integrity that let’s me subtly sculpt a track or dig in deep with things like parallel and M/S processing to bring out the very best in my client’s vision.

My Advice? Sell your other stuff on ebay, now. Beat the rush while you can. And go to www.mhlabs.com right away and pick the flavor that best suits you needs. You will, most assuredly, not be disappointed!”

Erlend Myrstad

“I have been using the v.5 Console for several studio recording sessions, and I am really pleased. The last two weeks it has been providing headset mixes for three different recording rooms in addition to the control room mix. The only reverb we used was the from the onboard +DSP, and it sounds excellent. The system has been dead solid during the whole period, and I am extremely pleased with its flexibility!

The new Plug-in inserts make it easier to use the onboard +DSP in the MH interfaces without compromising performance.

The Character emulations of preamp characteristics sounds great, and gives me the sound of my vintage studio gear when I am traveling to do location recordings.”

Jerry Schroeder

“Using v.5 and the new 2d Card update has greatly improved my mixing experience. The new mixer interface is well thought-out, infinitely customizable and allows for easy integration of my external hardware. 

I find myself ‘mixing into’ the 2882+DSP as if it were a high-end console with a quality channel strip and limiter on each channel.  The Character processing on each channel do a great job of adding the vibe of various tube and transformer inputs to the mix and as always, the huge assortment of Metric Halo plug-ins sound great and are really easy to use.

With so many audio hardware and software companies following the ‘planned obsolescence’ business model, it’s refreshing to find a company like Metric Halo that believes in supporting their products for the long run.  With the v.5/2d update, I feel I have the equivalent of a brand new interface with tons of new functionality for about the same cost as the upgrade fee for most of my plug-ins! 

Throughout the years, Metric Halo interfaces have been a dependable part of my daily audio workflow experience.  With v.5/2d the experience is even better.”

Orren Merton

“The MIO v.5 Console and 2d Card’s routing capabilities are unmatched, its DSP processing unrivaled, and its familiar mixer interface ensures that this power and flexibility is easily accessible.  No other interface allows you to create your own mixer, complete with insert effects, customized for your specific application.  The flexibility is of course only part of the story; the Mobile I/O platform has always offered exceptional sound quality, and the new 2d plug-ins sound fantastic.  

No other FireWire interface platform offers this combination of world-class sound quality, built-in plug-in integration, and mixer flexibility. The MIO v.5/2d Card combination is in a class of its own.”

Dave Davis

“While Sound Images is a ProTools HD shop, we use our MIOs all the time, for location work, where Record Panel gets a big workout, while I beat +DSP hard in the mastering suite.

Version 5 and 2d provides the low-latency monitoring of ProTools on the road, in a slick, integrated (and bullet-proof!) package.  In the studio, the new architecture connects my +DSP patches to any and all applications and hardware in new ways.  ProTools can be a TDM plug-rack for soundBlade... Logic can capture ProTools stems or vice versa... we can use MIOStrip alongside Channelstrip (you know they really do sound different!), in any session.

Best of all, Character options can subtly and magically color sounds, selectively adding the desirable qualities of tubes, transformers or transistors without their negative characteristics (noise, circuit design variables, part variance, etc.).

Our MIOs are the only digital hardware or software we have that’s actually gotten better since purchase.  ProTools Mix systems purchased in 2001 won’t run at all on new Intel Macs, or even on old Macs running Tiger, the last version of OS X before Leopard.  My 2882+DSP, purchased that same year, not only works on the latest Macs, it still sounds as good as our HD rigs (which is to say a lot better than the old 888/24s).  

Version after version, the MIOs have gained features and functionality. With 2d, a seven year old 2882+DSP is more powerful than the day it was built.  With Console v.5, all MIOs are more flexible and easier to use.  A digital miracle!”

Julian Scott

“Due to immense pressure of work I haven’t been able to trawl the depths of the new V5 capabilities, but suffice to say I have been running the 2d in the my 2882’s for many months on front line projects and not once has one been interrupted by an issue — a faultless performance!

So all my projects over the past 12 months are 2d projects and this includes the Opening Ceremony of the Tour de France in London last June — televised round the world, and I did the official music for the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in the UK!

Congratulations on a fantastic hardware and software audio production system and all power to a company that still supports and evolves products over such an extended lifecycle.”

Philip J Harvey

“I never go on tour without my Metric Halo MIO 2882+DSP.  It has been my secret weapon when it comes to recording (using the Record Panel), playback and sound system analysis for the better part of 8 years.  

With the v.5 software and 2d architecture Metric Halo has set the bar even higher in cutting edge audio technology and breathes new life into existing hardware with a simple upgrade.

Bottom line, MIO 2882+DSP 2d and ULN-2+DSP 2d are the best sounding and most diverse all-in-one mobile audio solution available.”

Steve Devino

“The v.5 software gives me the most accessible and flexible audio interfaces I have ever used at any level. The flexible I/O routing and Plug-in architecture of the 2d upgrades allows me to use my MIO’s as anything from an outboard processor to the full blown PA minus the power amps and speaker.

In the past we would have used the MIO’s as 8 channel front ends providing additional analog inputs to the DM1000. With the v5 software I have found it is easier to work with the DM1000 as an extension of the MIO instead.

Having the 80 bit Mixer plus Metric Halo analog performance provides performance comparable with or even exceeding that of other digital mixers with five and six digit prices. This is really a revolution for small sound companies as well as schools and local theatres.

The 2d/v5 upgrades to my system have brought many compliments on the sound quality from the audiences at the shows where I have used it. Its great to have the routing flexibility and the consistent high quality of this system at my disposal. This has completely changed my approach to live sound.”

Chipp Robb

“Professional Quality and Cost Effective are words you don’t often hear in the same sentence. This definitely holds true when talking about a computer audio interface that has onboard processing, mixing, multi track recording and playback in one ‘do it all’ package… Unless it is a Metric Halo.

Then again, not many computer audio interfaces are useable in live sound; without even going into recording, I can say I have mixed easily 200 - 230 shows in the past 2 years utilizing +DSP as outboard processing inserts, standalone mixing, media routing and PA tuning in demanding live environments. With v.5 it is a whole new wonderful experience with the ability of added 2d horsepower, easy, fast, flexible configuration, and above all - excellent sound.

Go ahead and try inserting Character on a live PA - it blew me away and now I am completely spoiled.

Metric Halo provides me with tools I can take anywhere easily at a price I can afford.”

Henry Robinett

“v.5 of MIO Console for the 2882 and ULN-2 is simply amazing! It has changed the way I conceptualize my recording and mixing. There are so many options and ways to do things; it was daunting at first, but now I can’t imagine how I recorded and mixed before without it.

For many years I have used high grade mic pres: the Millennia HV-3. I’ve gotten very accustomed to relying on using great outboard pres, whether they’re Neve style or clean. The ULN-2 along with Character modeling make using Metric Halo a no-brainer. We all know how great the ULN-2 pres are, but now with Character modeling at the mic pre, I don’t need other fancy mic pres! As a matter of fact I don’t remember the last time I reached for my Millennia!

I do a fair amount of remote work. Being able to provide various headphone cues and provide reverb is a godsend. With v.5 I can leave my PCM 91 at home. If I don’t need to do overdubs, at least on the initial recording, I always use the Record Panel. It’s easy and direct.

Using Character modeling provides a whole different level of sound through the mic pre, whether you’re using outboard or Metric Halo Pres. You have warmth of the Softsat, or the more subtle Valve. There are many varieties of Character modeling available — from California Tube to Modern Tube; 15 all together!

I love that I can put various Plug-ins in-line when recording; something Native DAWs can’t do. It’s very convenient, especially since with a lot of my gigs I record while I play, so the time I have to set levels is limited and it is virtually impossible for me to adjust them once the set starts. Being able to put a limiter on EVERY CHANNEL, or just a few acute ones is fantastic.

Being familiar with the instruments, players and room I’ve also been able to save my standard EQ/Comp settings (I know basically where I like them) for quick set-up. I can record one track with a MIOStrip and another Direct Out that’s pre fader; no plug effect. I’ve recorded 18 analog tracks, with a MIOstrip and/or limiter on all 18 tracks, reverb, headphones sends and recorded double that, pre and post fader, making it 36 tracks all on my little 1.67 Powerbook without a hitch. I haven’t crashed it yet!

I’ve also transferred a bunch of old recordings I did on ADAT into DP with the new 2d Card in the ULN-2. Again, not a hitch.

While I prefer DP (just because I’ve always used it) I use several different including Logic 8 and Live. Using different DAWs is also greatly simplified with my MIOs because I just set them up to sum in the v.5 Mixer — most often recording the mix into the Record Panel or sometimes back into the DAW. The thing is, there are so many flexible ways to operate this with v.5! It accommodates your style rather than you having to adopt to its style. For mixing I always set mono outputs, so the DAW is simply a dubbing system; the brain is in the Metric Halo box and software. Summing with the v.5 Mixer just sounds so much better than summing in DP or Logic to my ears.

There are so many remarkable things in v.5. The Plug-ins are amazing. Nezumi, the Diffuse Room and other various reverbs. The Templates are a great introduction point.

Quite frankly this is the most revolutionary piece of audio gear I’ve ever used, and I’ve used a lot of gear. Innovation is generally always built on the backs of previous innovations. v.5 builds on the best of some of the old analog consoles and routing schemes coupled with fantastic converters, pres, technology and the visionary genius of B.J. Buchalter and company to bring something very new and exciting. Here’s to a new age in recording technology!”

John Kerns

“I’ve carried a 2882 +DSP around with me for quite a while, using it to record shows (with the Record Panel) and tune p.a. (with the help of SpectraFoo) to the count of about 150-200 a year.

It has always performed far beyond the capabilities, and more importantly, the audio quality of other interfaces. With the new v.5 console and the 2d card the bar has been raised again.

Every week on tour, I hand over a small hard drive to the band that has the 5-6 shows recorded during the week. Each show folder has several stems and groups recorded from the console and audience mics. (My reference mics which are then recorded as audience during the shows.)  Along with that hard drive I hand over a pre-mastered, parallel compressed and eq’d, digital all the way (at least from the stage rack) cd for reference for each show.

All of this has been done via the 2882. These ‘reference’ CDs have been used countless times. I’m still only beginning to touch on the capabilities of the Metric Halo interfaces!”

David Quinn

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was Metric Halo’s MIO Console v.5 with 2d expansion. But like Rome, v.5 + 2d will stand the test of time. v.5 + 2d is truly intuitive and ahead of the pack.

No other audio interface offers this amount of on-board DSP, routing configurations and FW returns, the Record Panel for live tracking, the ability to build the mixer to suit your needs on the day, or the advantage of being able to save the studio audio network within your DAWs project file using ConsoleConnect. With v.5 and 2d you can build an Audio Network Engine so powerful that it’s inconceivable — simply by adding additional interfaces and linking them via FW. With Metric Halo, it just gets better and better and as far as Digital audio goes I have not used another brand for I/O since 2001. Oh and BTW it sounds great.”

Dennis Gunn

“From the day I got them the uncompromising audiophile quality of my ULN-2 and 2882 has been what puts the ‘deceptively’ in my ‘deceptively modest’ facility in Tokyo from which I have been able to produce music for major and minor projects, feature films, television shows and commercials and album releases in direct competition with facilities costing literally hundreds of times more than my little room.

Jeremy Miller

“Imagine recording, mixing, and monitoring all within the same box. Now with v.5 Console and 2d you can save your imagination for the music.

With Metric Halo’s v.5 Mixer and Character feature in the new 2d Card and v.5 console you can have any flavor external summing buss you want.

2d and v.5 adds an amazing amount of functionality and streamlined workflow to an already feature rich package.”

Michael Dunston

“The Mobile I/O 2d hardware and v5 software has greatly expanded the capabilities of our facilities and students.  The uncluttered versatility of the new mixer easily adapts for practically any workflow and the character modeling provides a rack of flavors in a single box; it's quite simply an outstanding solution for almost any audio application.

“While most other manufacturers tend to obsolete existing models as technology advances, Metric Halo's unique and combined commitment to quality, support, and longevity of hardware through component upgrades is unparalleled in the industry.”

Nathan Lawrence

“Metric Halo hardware has become THE integral hub of my workflow.  It has completely transformed the way I work, and my business has doubled since becoming a Metric Halo user.  Now, with Console v. 5 and the 2d card, the possibilities are further expanded.  

As I scan the horizon of new hardware and software on the market, there are a lot of great products that provide either flexibility, features, or fidelity.  Where most products might do well in one or two of these areas, Metric Halo has excelled to the highest no-compromise levels in all three.  As a Classical Music Recording Engineer, Console v.5 has allowed me the creative flexibility for which I have yet to find limits.”

Ronald Antony

“The sound quality of the MIO product line is legendary, the build quality is tank-like, the features can be ticked off the marketing literature, etc. What can I say? Things really live up to what they promise. How many other products can claim that?

All that great stuff aside, what can't underestimated however is the satisfaction of having gear that grows with you, that creates a stable center for your work. The alternative, aside from worse sound quality, is a constant shifting set of equipment and piles of electronic junk on a landfill. It is nice when your ears, your laziness, and your environmental consciousness can easily agree on the same thing.

In the entire audio industry only two companies I know of have both consistently been at the top of their respective market segment in both sound and future proofing their products: Kurzweil and Metric Halo.

And if all that weren't enough, Metric Halo's customer support is world class, people care, and you talk to people who know and stand behind their work.”

Jason Wolford

“The 2882 + DSP has been the backbone of my recording and performance rig for six years now.  Live or in the studio, its routing flexibility has gotten me out of some tricky setups whereas other soundcards would've fallen far short of my needs. Using the 2882 +DSP in live performance, I send submixes to drummers, synth basses to bass amps, and stereo mixes to the FOH all at different gains, and the 2882 and its software always deliver. In the studio it acts as a virtual patch bay, easily integrating old school technology into a DAW for remixing.

With the introduction of the V5 Console and 2d DSP technology, I've found myself leaning heavily on the new Character feature. While designing sound for an upcoming video game, I put the new Console and 2d technology through the paces. The routing was unbelievably flexible and I was able to simultaneously track the the source signal and the Character signal to separate tracks. Most times I would end up using the Character processed tracks, as they were usually better suited to my tastes and needs. It was great having the option of processed or clean for comparison.

Evident with the release of the Version 5 Console and 2d upgrade which increased the value of the 2882 + DSP, the company clearly remains committed to both customers and product integrity.  In fact, my first 2882 + DSP has outlived five computers without ever needing service or requiring payment for a compatibility update!

Metric Halo has responded to user requests by overhauling the DSP, Mixer and routing functions while retaining and even expanding on the power of the original software and hardware.  These revisions have resulted in a more elegant and functional system.

I have a feeling I'll be using my Metric Halo hardware and software long after many more of my computers have gone the way of the dinosaur.”

David M. Lohr

“Having been a user and fan of Metric Halo products for years, first with SpectraFoo Complete, then with the 2882+DSP interface, and most recently with a 72 channel all Metric Halo remote recording system, I was eager to try the newest and most important Metric Halo innovation, the new 2d Card and v.5 Console and Mixer.

From the first time I used the new Metric Halo v.5 Console and Mixer with the 2d Card, I found the signal routing versatility, mixing and recording options to be a powerful addition to an already great sounding product. For instance, for years I have been looking for a multiple speaker switcher for a variety of studio mixing applications. I found it in the v.5 Monitor Controller. Using a laptop I can monitor the studio mix with SpectraFoo Complete and select between several sets of speakers to visually and audibly check my project, all with one 2882.

Recently, I recorded a tour with the new MH system using two interfaces to record FOH Dry Stereo and five audience mics to individual tracks. I created a Wet mix (dry plus audience) used for Press and in-house feeds and tracked the Wet mix to CD and hard disk tracks as well — all while running SpectraFoo Complete to monitor the room while mixing the show. This was all done with a G4 PowerBook and the on-board Record Panel and v.5 Mixer.

The v.5 Conole and 2d Card combination adds many plug-in and effects options to your digital recorder. The new Character feature which models high end mic pre input attributes can be used to shape your microphone’s response or be used in post during mixing.

On a recent project, we test tracked with the Metric Halo mic pre’s then switched to my Neve’s, API’s and AMEK’s. We favored the onboard Metric Halo mic pre-amps. And the addition of the v.5 Character modeling feature will increase your audio palette even further.

The great thing is that 2d card and v.5 can be added to any Metric Halo product. So you don’t have to buy the newest box and sell your old one like others ask you to do.

I’m a firm believer in the Metric Halo system and am following closely their ongoing development.”

Stefan Garr

“I’m the type of buyer who does ‘too much’ research every time I buy a product that is important to me.  My Metric Halo 2882+DSP falls into this category.  I purchased the product in early 2003.  The product had an amazing sound and flexibility then.  A few months later, I joined the beta test group, and have watched the product develop into an absolute audio monster.  With the release of the 2d Card and v.5 software, the product now offers a level of control over the recording chain that would be impossible to imagine unless experienced first hand.  It’s a ‘brave new audio world!’

The platform now offers a huge set of DSP tools that can be used anywhere in the recording chain.  i particularly like HaloVerb which I’m using in my monitor mix.  I also immediately fell in love with a new feature called Character, which offer the unique tonal characteristics of many of the industry’s most legendary mics. Actually, there’s a complete palette of audio DSP tools that all take advantage of the DSP available in the Mobile I/O.

The people behind Metric Halo take an unbelievable amount of pride in their work, and I must admit that I’m pretty proud of myself for choosing the Metric Halo platform to begin with.  This is one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Maurie Mogridge

“I was astonished when I first saw the 2d and v.5 in action. My exact words were ‘Oh my God!’  This is an accomplishment that is truly unprecedented. Just pop in a new pc board and unleash a whole new way of doing things. To be able to select and configure an array of simple to complex large-scale mixers brings a major piece of the dream to reality. The results can be stunning. Expect pristine audio… another veil is gone.”

Jon Stern

“I am absolutely amazed by the sonic capabilities that are at the ready in the 2d mixing environment. The power and fidelity of +DSP, latency-free internal routing, and the new palette of textures offered by Character are just some of the things that have elevated my mixing setup beyond anything I could accomplish with a DAW alone.  With ConsoleConnect continuing to provide seamless integration, I can still use all of the features I want from the DAW, while going way beyond it in terms of sound.    The 2d Card adds a new powerful dimension to what’s possible in the digital audio world.”

Arild Grindheim

“My MH hardware is the Swiss Army knife in my rig. Extremely flexible and mobile. Sound quality is top notch. I am really glad that I ended up buying my first 2882 six years ago and not one of the competing products back then. They are outdated today. MH is still going strong and just gets more usable for each upgrade. The 2d card and the V5 console being the best so far. Turbo-charging an already powerful engine. Just amazing. Adding both pre-announced and un-announced functions to the hardware to this degree is unique in the business.

It does take some time getting used to the boxes and the software, just because of the plain flexibility and jam-packed number of features, but it is more than worth the effort.

I am using my different boxes for X-over, Effects, A-D, D-A conversion, processing, location recording, live PA work, studio mixing and monitoring… and some teaching. With so many I/O formats, it ‘talks’ with any audio hardware I have came across.

It is so nice to put all this power in a back-pack that fits in my hand luggage when going by plane on tour. It occupys a minimum of space. I can preprogram and test my setup in my hotel room. Listen to the recording when I get back to the room, and set up a rough mix while the recording is fresh in my mind.

Do I see a future for the MH stuff? Yes indeed! The whole MH gang and their helpers are extremely knowledgeable, creative, hard working people that are dedicated to keep up the good work. I am glad that I can participate in this future. And I am planning on buying more boxes.”

David Das

“Since I adopted the Metric Halo hardware in 2002, the increased fidelity and resolution of my audio work has seen a huge step up. Multiple clients have commented on the clarity of the sound, and MIO Console’s flexible no-latency monitoring and routing have proved essential in hundreds of sessions I’ve done, mobile and studio, across the world.

Now with v.5, Metric Halo takes the next step up into new territory with top-shelf integrated effects. This is a pioneering company dedicated to making the best cutting-edge audio hardware in the world, and it’s a testament to their genius that even hardware made several years ago is still counted as world-class. This is legendary stuff in the making.”

Brad Hawkins

“My ‘do-anything’ digital device just got so much more powerful and easier to use!  The MIO 2882+DSP could do pretty much anything before, but now it’s a much more powerful processor, including reverb to die for and other tasty, tasty things like Character. v.5 sports a familiar GUI so that no matter how easy or complex a job things get done faster with the least amount of hassle. In this day and age, and after 7 years, it’s almost unbelievable how my MIO 2882+DSP keeps getting better.”

James Gebhard and Harm Schopman

“After years of using our three 2882’s to great effect recording the occasional shows for bands like the Strokes, Stiff Little Fingers and the Killers I’m delighted to say that the new 2882+2d is even better. Greatly improved software with v5 that works far more like the mixers we all know and love, whilst expanding the feature set. The sound quality has also improved so that we should all have even happier customers in the future. If you own a Mobile I/O, this is a no-brainer: get a 2d card and you’ll never look back. It’s worth it for the Character inserts alone!”